What to do when a guest breaks something and doesn't tell you

Category: Guest Communication

By: Camille Dubois

Posted: 2026-01-03T03:32:44.101Z

My cleaner found a large crack in the glass shower door after a guest checked out. Guest never mentioned it. I messaged them and they said "it was like that when we arrived" (it definitely wasn't — I have photos from the cleaning before their stay). What's the process for recovering repair costs? How often do hosts actually get paid through Airbnb's damage process?

Reply by Ryan Tanaka:

Damage claims are such a headache. Here's the process I've figured out after way too many of these. Document everything IMMEDIATELY. Like, within hours. Multiple angles, close-ups showing the severity, wide shots for context. Screenshot their message denying responsibility too. Your biggest weapon here is "before" photos. This is why I am borderline obsessive about photographing the property after every single clean. If you don't have before photos... you're going to have a much harder time. Previous guest reviews mentioning the shower or any maintenance records can help as backup but they're not as strong. Get at least one written repair quote from a licensed contractor, ideally two (Airbnb sometimes pushes back on single quotes). Include the original purchase receipt if you're replacing something so they can see what it cost. File through the Resolution Center within 14 days of checkout — that's the deadline, don't miss it. Try to file BEFORE the next guest checks in if at all possible. Upload all your evidence. Guest has 72 hours to respond. If they accept, great. If they decline, Airbnb mediates. If they ghost, Airbnb usually sides with you IF your evidence is solid. Reality check on success rates from what I've seen across host forums: minor stuff under $200 gets approved maybe 70% of the time. $200-1000 range is more like 50/50. Over $1000 through Airbnb alone? Maybe 30%. It's not great. If Airbnb lowballs you or denies: file through your STR insurance (Proper Insurance at https://properinsurance.com covers this stuff), or honestly small claims court for anything over $500 — you have their name from the reservation. The photography habit after every clean is THE thing. 5 minutes of photos saves thousands in unrecoverable damage claims. Cannot stress this enough.

Reply by Anika Sharma:

Pro tip on the cleaning photos: make it systematic. I have my cleaners follow a checklist. At the end, they take these specific photos every single time: 1. Kitchen counters (shows cleanliness + state of appliances) 2. Stove/oven 3. Each bathroom (mirror, shower, toilet) 4. Each bedroom (bed made, walls, TV) 5. Living room wide shot 6. Any high-value items (TV, game console, art) 7. Outdoor furniture / grill 8. Front door / keypad area They upload to a shared Google Photos album organized by date. Takes 3 minutes, creates an ironclad evidence trail. Since implementing this system: my damage claim success rate went from ~40% to ~85%. The difference is always the before photos.